The Voice of the Tributes
by remisaur
Summary: My name is Harmony Athenus. When I was 8 years old, the Capitol took more than just my voice from me; they took my father, my virginity, my childhood, and for a while my sanity. I tried to kill myself multiple times, but they always managed to stop me. Then when I finally realize that I wanted to live, they decided that I should die.But I'm not going to fall victim to them again.
1. Chapter 1

During the short walk from the lunch line to my table, I realized just how utterly unimportant my life was. My whole outfit was soaked in what was supposed to be my lunch, but apparently Thad had other plans for it.

Thad is what you would call a bully. Every chance he had to humiliate me, he did. Today, his method of choice was to knock my lunch tray into me while I was walking to my table. He high-fived his Neanderthal friends, as if he just accomplished something great, like reading a book that didn't involve coloring. I threw the remainder of my food away, and walked to my table. Luckily, my two best friends were there for me.

Monty gave me his jacket to cover up the stain. Monty is my very handsome man friend. He is handsome, funny, attractive, smart, and beautiful. Did I mention that he is gorgeous? I feel the need to stress the attractiveness of my friend, because he is the most perfect guy in the world, and yet he wastes his day with me. It kind of makes me feel special. And he is also really nice. He is one of the only people who actually talk to me, despite my disability.

The other perfect, gorgeous friend is Aidyyn. She was comforting me by telling me all of the horrible things that she would do to Thad. Of course, she is all talk. She couldn't really, as she said it, "gouge his eyes out with a rusty fork". If she were to do so, she would be expelled from school, and may even have to serve time at the Capitol, due to the history of her "violent outbursts".

Unfortunately, I know all too well what kind of punishment the Capitol is capable of dishing out. About 9 years ago, when I was eight, I was caught stealing food from the town market. I wasn't a delinquent or anything, it was just that my dad did not have a job at the time, so we had no income. I thought I was being helpful. Anyway, when the Peacekeeper arrived, I, helpfully, repeated every bad thing my father had ever muttered about the Capitol.

"Listen sweetie," the Peacekeeper paused to pinch my cheek, "Why don't you just give me back the food you stole earlier, and we can forget this whole thing ever happened. Go home to your mommy; it's getting late."

I snorted. "My 'mommy' died because of an illness YOUR precious Capitol couldn't fix."

The Peacekeeper flushed. "Keep it."

I realize now that he was only trying to help me, but there was pity behind his actions. Pity. Ohh, how I hate pity. So, instead of accepting his generous offer, I opened my big mouth.

"No."

"Excuse me?"

"What are you deaf? I said NO!" I slapped the basket out of his hands.

He just chuckled.

"Why are you laughing?" I asked him curiously.

"Because you remind me of my son."

I recalled that this particular peacekeeper's son was in my class.

Now it was my turn to chuckle.

He looked at me quizzically. "Now, why are you laughing?"

I looked up at him with a sly smile. "Because you remind me of your son. He's dumb, fat, gross, and ugly. I finally see where he got it from."

The only nice Peacekeeper in our District and I managed to snap his patience in half.

He snatched me up and took me to the Capitol. I sat in the ship, a smirk on my face. I thought I was being brave. I was wrong, I was only being foolish.

The presented me the President himself. He examined me like I was a piece of meat. His face came so close to mine that I could smell his rotten breath. "What's your name?". Even his voice sounded reptilian.

I froze. Fear suddenly washed over me. For the first time in my life, I decided that I would try a new tactic; silence.

He repeated the question.

"I don't want to answer…" I was very uncomfortable.

He smiled. "I'm not going to hurt you. I'm afraid I can't say the same about your father."

That woke me up.

"My daddy?" I searched the room frantically. "Where's my daddy?"

"He's in our custody."

"Why?"

"Because he tried to rebel."

"He won't, I promise!" My eyes were starting to water.

"Oh, I know he won't. Because we're going to kill him."

I began to scream and beg hysterically, but that only annoyed him. He grabbed me by my shoulders, and shook me so hard I got dizzy. I stopped sobbing long enough for him to bring up my mom.

"I heard that your mother died, too."

I nodded my head.

"Good, that means there will be nobody around to miss you. Send her to the Surgeon."

I didn't know who the Surgeon was, or what it was that he did. I met the Surgeon in a large, bright room. He seemed nice. He told me he was going to perform a minor operation that'll make me a better person. At first, I protested. But he promised me that if I was good, he would give me as many lollipops as I desired. I didn't know until later that he was mocking me. It was all just a sick joke to him. He performed the operation that literally left me speechless. After I healed from the surgery, I was taken to the "Academy". This was where I began my new life, the life of an Avox. This is where I unwillingly lost my virginity, humanity, and sanity.

About 5 years later, I was released. To this day, I don't know why they let me go. I was under the impression that I was going to be there for the rest of my life, and I wasn't even sure that I would last that long. I deserved that lifestyle. My dad was dead because of me. Sometimes I wished that they had taken the punishment a step further. I just didn't want to live knowing that my dad was dead because of me. Every dark night, I would plan a new way to kill myself. It's a shame, really. I was starting to get real creative.

I was sent home an orphaned Avox. Of course, I had the whole support of District 4, not that I wanted it. I was forced into counseling and put under suicide watch, and they were right to put me there. I secluded myself from everyone and spent days locked up in my house. I would miss counseling sessions, school, and meals. One day, Aidyyn, using the spare key I begrudgingly gave her, broke into my house and tried to drag me out. She said that the only thing that stopped her from completing her mission was my face. She said it looked like I was ready to kill. She joked with me, saying that after that incident, I was immediately placed under homicide watch, as well.

The next time Aidyyn broke into my house, she brought some muscle. That was when I met Monty. I was so captivated by him, that I didn't even have time to react before he scooped me up and carried me out of my house.

Aidyyn, being the intuitive best friend that she was, could tell that I was thinking about him. She smiled at me and raised her eyebrows. I went to punch her in the arm, playfully of course, but it was caught by Monty. "Harmony," Ohh yes, you could almost taste that sweet bite of irony. A girl named Harmony can't sing, let alone speak. "Save it for the games". We would all joke around about getting selected for the Hunger Games. It wasn't as funny as it was calming. It was better to joke it than to dread it.

After school, we decided to go to the docks. It was a place of nirvana. We would go there to forget about all of our troubles. Being that the Reaping was right around the corner, we needed as much peace as possible. Monty went fishing, while Aidyyn and I would jump in to go swimming. We always made sure to leave the docks before sun down, because it's been said that the monsters of the sea come out to feed at that time. I think that they are the same monsters who haunt me in my dreams.

In fact, that night, I had that dream. The dream that I have been having since I was five. In the dream, I'm swimming in the ocean with my mom and dad. We're all laughing and splashing each other. Pretending to be a dolphin, I would dive under the waves. But when I popped back up, I noticed that my mom is missing. My dad is still there, though he acts like nothing happened. So I shrug it off and go under the waves again. I emerge from the water to see that my father has gone missing too. A tsunami of emotions overcome me. Confusion, dread, anxiety, fear. Then, the skies turn dark and the winds pick up, as if a storm is approaching. The sea turns dark red and thick, like blood. Something brushes against my feet. Seaweed? I feel it again. Soon, the seaweed begins wrapping up my legs, almost like it was a serpent, coiling around my whole body and squeezing the air out of me. The creature begins to pull me into the blood-like sea. At this part, I always wake up, usually covered in sweat and gasping for a breath of fresh air.

This time, though, I woke up only to find myself in another nightmare. It was the day of the Reaping.


	2. Chapter 2

We all knew this day was coming. It's as inevitable as the new season. I put on my Reaping dress, a long flowing white gown my mother wore on her wedding day. The dress really does bring out my best features. My long brown hair fell in waves, framing my face. The gray eyes that stared back at me weren't mine, but my mother's. But the smile that crinkled those eyes, that was my dad's. I shed a few tears in memoriam of my parents, as I did every year. I never liked to cry at the Reapings. The last thing I wanted was to look weak. So I put on my favorite necklace, a shining pearl necklace teeming with sentimental value, and a brave face and walked out the door.

The market square was packed with every member of District 4, seeing as how it was mandatory to attend. I quickly took my place next to Monty. Aidyyn wasn't sitting with us anymore because she had just had her 19th birthday a week before, making her too old to participate in the games.

Monty gave me a nervous smile, "Well, don't you look stunning."

I smiled and gave him a little curtsey.

Just then, the ceremony began. The mayor, a decent looking 50 year old man, came out to talk about the history of the games and our district. When he started talking about the previous victors, he presented the only two live victors we have today, Finnick and Mags.

Finnick is the very handsome victor of the 65th Hunger Games. I didn't know him before, but I was definitely rooting for him the whole time he was in the arena. When he came back from the Capitol, all of District 4 threw this huge party to commemorate his winning. I even got to talk to him for five seconds. BEST FIVE SECONDS OF MY LIFE.

Then, there is Mags. Mags is the older of the two, being that she was the victor of the 13th Hunger Games. She was a Career Tribute, and demonstrated that with her performance in the Games. She wasn't only strong, but she was fast and smart, too. But old age has caught up with her, and it is believed that she may have suffered from a stroke recently.

Finally, the mayor is done talking. It is now the 'moment we've all been waiting for'. True to our culture, the boys get picked first. It's some sort of chivalry thing. The boys get picked for death before the girls. Chivalry isn't dead, the boys are. The mayor reaches into the ball and pulls out a little slip of paper. I begin a ritualistic chant in my head, 'Please don't be Monty. Please don't be Monty.' He stares up at the crowd and says "Kit Finnegan".

Almost immediately a boy jumped up and declared his spot in this year's games. "I volunteer."

"Come on up."

The boy proudly walked to the stage, eager to be joining the battle to the death.

The mayor congratulated him and patted his shoulders. "What's your name, son?"

"Rylan. Rylan Castor."

Almost immediately I recognize him. Rylan goes to school with me. He's the captain of the swim team. Above all else, he is fairly handsome. With his dull brown hair always styled perfectly, even when it's wet, and his tight body. Okay, I'll admit, Aidynn and I used to go to the swim meets just to see this guy half naked. I feel a twinge of sadness that I'll probably never see him again.

Rylan takes a seat and awaits his company.

The mayor turns to other glass ball. He reaches inside and pulls out an identical looking slip of paper. He clears his throat and pulls at his collar, almost like he was uncomfortable. Oh God, I hope it isn't a young girl. One year, a 12 year old was sent away to the arena. She didn't last very long…

Finally, the mayor breaks the tension inside my head by announcing the name. 'Harmony Athenus'.

Shit.


	3. Chapter 3

Silence.

Everyone looks back at me, watching for a reaction. '_Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry_.'

A look at the screen confirms my fears; I look terrified. I compose myself and walk to the stage.

The mayor looks out to the crowd and mutters "Any volunteers?"

I hear the waves crashing against the shore. The gulls squawking as they fought over a little crab. The sea breeze caressing a few wind chimes on its way in. What I didn't hear was a voice.

Many thoughts race through my already nerve-racked brain.

_No volunteers? But there are _always _volunteers. Why did Kit get a volunteer? I'm not as prepared as the others. Why isn't anybody volunteering? Wait, does that mean that they want me to die? Why can't I get a say in it? Oh, I get it. Avoxes never get a say in anything._

The mayor clears his throat. "Okay, then. Let's move on". He begins reading the Treaty of Treason. It was while he was reading that I was able to get a good look at my opponent. He was twiddling his thumbs, and whistling a catchy little tune. He's so nonchalant about it, almost as if he doesn't care that he's about to die.

The mayor finally finishes reading the treaty. We are then signaled to shake hands. He reaches his hand out and smiles at me. I hesitate for a second, and then I grab his hand and shake it anyways. We turn towards the crowd. A thought slams me into me like a brick wall.

_I'm never going to see any of them ever again. _

Sure, if I win, I'll return to District 4. But I'll be living in the Victor's Village. There, I'd be isolated from those I love and those I hate. My only neighbors would be Finnick and Mags. I'll be filthy rich. I could buy anything I want. I'd be famous. I'd live the life of a Capitol whore, and I do NOT want to go down that path again….

As memories of my time in the Capitol flooded back into my mind, I began to lose my breath. Every once in a while, I would have a panic attack, usually brought on by thoughts of the Capitol. I would do my best to make sure they wouldn't happen in front of anybody. Nobody even knew I had them, not even Monty and Aidyyn. Now, I was having one on national television, and in front of the entire District. I collapse on stage and start heaving for air. My heart is racing. _Where am I? _ My eyes dart back and forth, looking for any signs of danger. I'm frozen with fear. I'm going to die. Suddenly, I feel a hand grab onto my shoulder, and I scream.

Rylan jumps back and covers his ears.

"Shit!" he screams.

My eyes grow wide as I realize where I am, as I realize what I just did. I look at the audience; they stare right back with disbelief. I look up to the screen; the look of terror has returned to my face.

I don't want to be here. I race backstage and wait for the Peacekeepers to lead us to the Tribute Trails.

The Tribute Trails are 2 separate paths, one for the girl and one for the boy, that go through the only forest in all of District 4, Bellamy Forest. On this path, the tributes are allowed to say goodbye to their friends and family as they walk through the forest, of course accompanied by Peacekeepers. At the end of the forest, the two paths meet, and so do the tributes. It is also where they depart from their families. But who will be there to say goodbye to me….?

A voice from behind snaps me back to reality. "Don't scream. It's just me."

Rylan comes over and takes a seat right next to me. "Hello."

I am no mood for company, though, so I scoot away from him. He scoots even closer than before and says, "You don't talk much do you?"

I smile, but turn my face away so he wouldn't see it.

"Oh come on. It wasn't that bad." He tried to grab my hand to comfort me, but I pulled away. "Why did you scream, anyway? Was it because you finally realized who you were up against?"

I looked over at him. Is he being serious?

"Don't worry, though. I won't hurt you. Hell, I wouldn't even come near you. All you have to do is scream, and you'll be an immediate victor."

That brings me up short. Why is he being so nice to me?

Just then, the Peacekeepers came over to escort us to the Trails. While we were walking there, Rylan's hand brushed up against mine a few times, almost like he was attempting to grab it. I moved as far away from him as possible.

Finally, we reached the Trails. Rylan goes off to the left trail, while I stick to the right. I look up the trail to see Aidyyn in Monty's arms crying. Anger and frustration built up inside me. The thought never occurred to me that when I'm gone, Aidyyn and Monty are going to be together. I'm not okay with this. When she sees me, Aidyyn runs into my arms and cries some more. She repeatedly tells me that she is sorry that she couldn't volunteer, and I just stroke her hair and 'shh' her. After a few seconds of this, we begin walking, Aidyyn hanging onto my left arm, and Monty on my right. None of them asked me about my panic attack.

During this death march through the forest, I realized just how utterly unimportant my life is. I have nothing to show for it. If I die, nobody will remember me. Sure, there's Aidyyn and Monty, but they have each other. They'll forget about me eventually.

_Nobody is going to miss her anyways…._

Snow's voice sent shivers through me.

"Are you cold?" Monty put his jacket over my shoulder.

What if this whole thing was just an act of mercy? What if Monty was only being nice to me because he pitied me? The thought made me mad. I shrugged his jacket off and let it fall to the ground.

Monty stopped in his tracks. "What the hell?"

I just kept walking.

Monty caught up with me. "Did you know that I used to dream about you all of the time?" My heart began to beat faster and I looked over at him. "Yeah, I used to dream that we would go on these adventures. We would find treasures, and hunt monsters." I giggled. "Don't giggle. I'm trying to pour my heart out to you." I pantomimed myself zipping my lips, and he chuckled. "Anyways, every adventure was a quest for your voice. Sometimes, we'd find it, other times we didn't. When we did find it, I would eagerly wait for you to speak, but every time you would open your mouth to talk, I would wake up from the dream. It frustrated me because I knew that I couldn't help you. That's all I've ever wanted to do, was to help you…" His voice trailed off as he looked at the ground. "I guess, the point is" he snapped out of his reverie "that I wanted to be your knight in shining armor, and I'm sorry I couldn't even do that right." Holding tears back, I nodded my head and hugged him tightly. We embraced each other for a few seconds before realizing we were already nearing the end of the trail. It seems like we were only walking for a few minutes.

"Harmony," Aidyyn grabbed my shoulders, forcing me to look in her eyes, but I managed to avoid so by looking instead at the ground. "I know you don't want to go back there, and I don't blame you. I'm not thrilled about it either. But because it's _mandatory_-" she sneered back at the Peacekeeper, "you have to go. It'll be different though, I promise." She gave my shoulders a reassuring squeeze. "Last time you went to the Capitol, you came back an Avox. This time, you'll come back a victor."

She actually believes I'm coming back.

She took off her necklace, which is actually just a chain fastened to a spare key; the spare key to my house. She puts the key around my neck and kisses my cheek and with tears in her eyes, she said "You'll need a way in when you come back home."

Monty, Aidyyn, and I engage in a massive group hug, before the Peacekeepers break us apart. I watch their bodies turn into silhouettes, and then they're gone. Just like that.

I take a few quick breaths and try to wipe away any signs of tears. I see Rylan approaching us, as his path merges with mine. He's walking alone, with his hands in his pockets and his eyes on the ground. He doesn't even look like he was crying. He just looks bored.

Accompanied now by Rylan and the Peacekeepers, we finish the short walk and arrive at the train station. Finnick and Mags are waiting outside, along with the camera crew. Finnick reached his hand out to grab mine, flashing his award winning smile, "All aboard".

After boarding the train, we were given a brief tour. We were also introduced to our escort, a short blonde girl named Tetra. She had the typical accent of the Capitol, except it had a southern drawl to it. They were just leading us to the kitchen when Tetra noticed me all the way at the back of the tour. "What's wrong, Honey? Are you tired?"

I nodded my head.

"Well, why didn't you say something?" She gasped and quickly covered her mouth. "I'm sorry. That wasn't a joke. I just don't think before I speak. I'm sorry. I'm really really sorry."

I waved away her apology. I just wanted to go to bed.

She lead me to the corridor that contained the rooms and stopped in front of one of the doors.

"This here is your room. If you need anything, Mags and I share a room, which is right down there." She pointed a little further down the hall. "Finnick's is down this way." She pointed in the opposite direction. "Rylan's is right across the hall from Finnick's."

I smiled and nodded my head.

"Alright, it was nice meeting you." She kissed my forehead. "Goodnight, Honey." She turned and skipped down the hall.

I turned into my room. I didn't take time to marvel at anything. I just went straight to the bed and collapsed onto it. I was asleep before I hit the pillow.


	4. Chapter 4

"_Harmony, you have to get up, sweetie." _

"…_.Mom?"_

"_Today's a big day for you."_

"_I don't wanna go."_

"_But it's your first day."_

"_The first of my last…"_

"_Oh don't be silly, the faculty will be there to help you."_

"_They'll be cheering for my death, mom."_

"_You'll make lots of new friends who-"_

"_Are going to stab me in the back."_

"_Your teachers will love you."_

"_They won't love me enough to keep me from going in there."_

"_But you'll learn so many new skills."_

"_Like how to kill someone using a blade of grass?"_

"_You'll be fine. I know you will. But if you have any questions, any concerns at all, I want you to raise your hand, shout, stand on your desk if need be, and let them know what's on your mind."_

"_How am I supposed to do that? They cut out my tongue, remember?"_

"_Just speak your mind."_

"_But Mom, I can't speak! I'm an Avo-"_

BANG, BANG, BANG!

I jolt upright in my bed.

"Harmony, get up!" Tetra yelled from the other side of the door. She jiggled the door knob in frustration. "Why did they put a lock on these things? Harmony, if you don't get up within the next ten seconds, I swear on my children, I will bust down this door with Finnick's hard head… Ow, why'd you hit me?"

I hear Finnick chuckle. "Just making it fair. Ow. Oh, now it's uneven."

"Stop hitting me!"

"You two are like an old married couple. Hush up before you wake everyone on the train." Mags chimes in.

For the sake of Tetra's future children, and for the sake of the quiet I now so dearly miss, I get out of bed to open the door. I glare at the trio standing outside.

"Well, good morning!" Tetra beams.

I continue glaring.

"Why don't you go take a shower and get dressed?" Mags suggests. "You can meet us in the dining room for breakfast whenever you're ready."

Finnick joins in as well. "Yeah, a nice hot shower always makes me feel better." I blush at the thought of Finnick in a shower, then nod and shut the door.

The shower, was in fact, quite rejuvenating. After toweling off, I go through the closet to find something to wear. We are nearing the Capitol, so I have to pick something nice to wear. I choose a brown turtleneck sweater, black leather pants, and knee high black boots. My hair is up in an elegant bun. I also put the key around my neck, and tucked into my shirt. I don't normally dress up but, despite my lack of expertise, I think I look pretty sexy.

I walk, or strut, down the hall to the dining area. I am satisfied with the reaction from my companions. Finnick whistles, and I try to hide the blush again. Tetra babbles on about how "hot, sexy and delicious" I look. Mags gives me an approving nod. Rylan averts his eyes from me. I'm not sure if he was playing shy guy again, or if he was checking me out. I accept the latter.

After eating a large breakfast of pancakes, eggs, bacon, toast, hash browns, and coffee, I felt as if I would explode. The tight leather pants were starting to look like a bad idea.

We still have a couple more hours before arriving at the Capitol. So we all agree that now is a good time to watch a rerun of the Reapings. The competition looks fierce. Besides my obvious fear of the Career tributes, there are quite a few others that intimidate me. Hailing from District 6 is a large, dark male tribute that can probably crush your bones just by looking at you. Then, there are both the tributes from District 9, Malachie and Mimsy. They are a brother and sister team who look too smart to trust. Ty, the guy from District 10 who did flips to the stage.

I look over at Rylan and see a look of nonchalance on his face. He sees me staring at him, lies back against the couch, and coolly says, "I am scared shitless." I smile and pat his back. At least I know I'm not the only one.

The whole room goes dark and the TV cuts off.

Mags sighs. "Ladies and gentlemen, the Capitol."

Right on cue, a bright light temporarily blinds us. As soon as my vision clears up, I see what all of the fuss is about. The buildings emit lights of every color of the rainbow, including colors I have never seen before. The streets are decorated with banners and confetti and a lot of people. That must be our welcoming committee.

Finnick speaks up. "Okay, here is the deal. Do not talk to the press. Do not portray any emotions. In fact, try your best just to look bored. Since we don't have a specific angle for your appearance yet, we'll just have to settle for nonchalant. Can you guys do that?"

Rylan and I both nod.

The train comes to a screeching halt.

Tetra smiles "It's show time."

When Rylan and I step onto the station platform, waves of people approach us and bombard us with questions and camera flashes. I did my best to look bored, but that proved to be a difficult task. All of the attention I was getting made me feel marvelous. Before I could let all of the attention get to my head, Finnick pushes us away from the press and into a different kind of committee.

"Rylan, Harmony, I'd like you to meet your prep team." Finnick introduces us to the four people standing before us.

One of the people, a large woman painted gold, steps forward to introduce herself. "Hello. My name is Karia and I am the stylist in charge of everything on the outside, from your head to your toes. Your bodies now belong to me."

I can already tell I'm going to hate this.

The other three stylists introduce themselves as Fiora, Kale, and Night.

"Hmmm…" Karia appraises us like meat. "Fiora, Night, you've got the boy. Kale and I will handle the girl." They all nod in agreement.

They lead us to the Remake Center, where they separate Rylan and I. He looks at me and smiles. Then he mouths the words 'good luck'.

Karia and Kale are hustling around the room, grabbing random items and mixing random concoctions. Karia pauses for a moment. "Harmony, can you please take off that dreadful outfit." A look of pain must have registered on my face, because she quickly rephrases it. "It's just not your style, sweetie." That was hardly nicer.

Kale notices my hesitation and insists he helps. I feel slightly uncomfortable with these people. "Besides," Kale adds on, "I think that outfit looks better on the floor, and you'd look better without it." Karia chimes in. "Just take off your damn clothes. If you're going to be this weak and self-conscious, you might as well just kill yourself now because there is no way you're going to survive in the arena. You think people are going to pity you just because you're an Avox?"

I glare up at Karia and tears spring to my eyes. I'm angry at myself for being so weak. I'm angry at Karia for what she said. I'm angry for showing emotion. For some reason, I feel the need to prove that I'm not weak. So, I literally rip off my clothes. I take my hair down, and fling the hair tie across the room. I am left standing there naked except for the key around my neck. Karia smiles. "That's my girl. A lot of spunk. That's what is going to help you win the Games, not pity. Now, let's make you into a shining star."


	5. Chapter 5

"How about some sex appeal?" Karia suggests.

Kale sighs and massages his temple. "You already said that…"

They've been pitching out ideas for what seems like hours, and patience is wearing thin.

"DAMMIT!" Kale throws a glass vase across the room. "We've been in here for hours and all you can come up with is sex?"

"Don't raise your voice at me. I am your superior. Besides, you know the Capitol eats the sex thing up."

"Look, she's uncomfortable with the sex thing, so drop it."

Karia pouts for a few seconds, and then sighs in defeat, "I need more coffee." And she storms out of the room.

Kale looks over at me. His eyes look sunken and dreary. I wonder if he's been sleeping. "How do you want to appear?" I shrug. He sighs. Then he turns his attention to a glass of water, and stares intently. Karia walks back in at this moment, pot of caffeinated coffee in one hand and a sketch book in the other. Since her hands are full, she slams the door with her hip, which causes the room to shake a bit. She is showing me design ideas and blabbering about how it'll "compliment my physique", but I'm not paying attention. Instead, I'm interested in why Kale is still having a staring contest with that glass of water. The water is still rippling from the tremors of the slammed door. Kale's face lights up.

"I've got it." He exclaims and jumps up in excitement. "One moment." He drags Karia out in the hall to discuss his epiphany, and on his way out he slams the door. The water glass shakes, causing ripples to appear again. I stare at the glass, still trying to figure out what the big deal is, until Kale and Karia come back in with big, goofy smiles stretched across their faces. "We're going to go work on your dress. Wait here until we come back. Here are some magazines for you to read." Karia throws a pile of articles on the table in front of me, knocking down the glass of water. I find myself bending over to clean up the spill, but remembering that I'm no longer a servant, decide to leave it. Karia and Kale leave the room to me. I clean up the spill almost immediately after the door shuts. After 100 rotations in the spinny chair, I begin to feel dizzy. The magazines were all about the latest fashion in the Capitol, so they got boring quickly. I get up and decide to search around the room a bit. I find brushes, files, scissors, and many miscellaneous objects, but nothing that catches my attention. I remember that Rylan is right down the hall, and decide to pay him a visit. I know that I promised myself that I wouldn't associate with my fellow district tribute, but boredom beats out strategy. So, I walk down the hall and into the room I thought was Rylan's. Instead, I find an exit. It leads straight into the guts of the Capitol. I could run. I contemplate it, but I know it would be a huge mistake. With all of the cameras watching me right now, I would be caught in no time. I take in a deep breath of fresh air, and shut the door.

I continue my way down the hall, determined to find his room. Finally, I think I reach it. But, for good measure, I knock. The door opens almost immediately, as if someone was waiting for me. It was Fiora.

"What are you doing here?" she sneers, flipping her long red hair out of her face.

I try to peer past her, but she just adjusts her body to block my view again. "Look," she put her hands on her hips, "if Karia sent you down here to spy, tell her, in your little language, to kiss my ass, because she is not stealing any ideas from me!" To finish making her point, she slams the door in my face. I'm not particularly fond of our prep team. But I guess it's not their job to be friendly. They just have to be able to make us look presentable.

I find my way back to my room without occasion, only to find that I have company.

"Where have you been?" Kale screams at me. I look down at the floor, embarrassment flooding my face.

Kale clears his throat and adjusts his voice. "Never mind. Look what I've got." He held up a long plastic bag. I don't get it.

"It's your dress!"

I guess my reaction wasn't what he expected, because for a while, he was paused, waiting. I force a smile. "Okay, little miss sunshine, let's get your dress on." I take off my clothes, less reluctant than before, and put on the dress. A look in the mirror brings me to gasp. This is not what I expected at all; it's fantastic. The dress is clear, but not see-through. But that's not the best part. The best part is that every time I moved a muscle, the dress _rippled. _It rippled! I feel like I'm wearing the ocean! I twirl around a few times, just so that I can see the ripples. I turn around and hug Kale, never expecting to get something so beautiful from anybody. Kale chuckles, this time pleased with my reaction. "You're welcome. As soon as Karia arrives, we're doing your makeup."

Ordinarily, I don't wear makeup. I've wore it twice, once for my mother's funeral, and the other time for my father's. But the makeup I wore pales in comparison to this stuff. My lips have a hint of blue in them. My eyelashes have what appear to be water droplets on them. My hair is dripping wet, and apparently it has some chemical in it that will keep all that moisture in my hair. I even have bits of seaweed braided into my hair. My nails have a clear coat of polish over them, making them clear, like my dress. The only thing they didn't touch on me was my necklace, and my pale face. I don't quite understand why they left my face so plain. I almost look like a corpse. Is this a joke? Are they doing this to poke fun at the fact that I might not survive? "It's mysterious." Kale explains.

Karia is rushing around the room, trying to find shoes for me to wear at the last minute.

"Just forget about it." Kale said reassuringly. "She doesn't even like shoes."

"She needs shoes!"

"She's going to be late by the time you find them."

"But I had the perfect high heel shoes for her!"

"Get over it."

"That's mighty talk coming from a man who thinks it's okay to match green and pink!"

"Have you looked in a mirror lately? You're not exactly-"

A knock at the door interrupts their bickering. Thank goodness, too. As if I'm not nervous enough without them yelling about footwear.

"I swear, you'd be late to your own funeral if it weren't -…. Sorry. Phrasing."

That accent. It's Tetra. I hop off the chair and practically prance to the door. Sitting in a chair all day with Karia and Kale at each other's throat, is practically torture, and I was thankful for Tetra's interruption. "C'mon, we gotta get going." She raced me through the halls and into stables. I struggle to get into the chariot, but feel a pair of helping hands pull me up.

"It's about time." Rylan is only wearing swim trunks. His skin has the gritty texture of sand. His hair is spiked up in every direction. I find myself caught in a fit of giggles. This is what Fiora was trying to hide from me? He made me feel a whole lot better about looking like a corpse. "Hey, I specifically asked to be dressed like a sea monster, but they told me that design was already taken."

The dark colored horses begin to lurch forward. My laughing ceased immediately. My stomach is in knots. I hear Finnick shout, "Show no fear!"

A bright light engulfs us, and then we are being pulled through the city, people shouting our names. Once again, I feel the urge to play celebrity, but I force myself to keep a poker face. On the other side of me, though, Rylan is making faces at the audience, laughing and waving to them. Finnick is not going to be happy about his performance. Watching as Rylan has this much fun only makes it harder for me not to smile. The crowd loves him. But not enough to keep their attention focused on him. They are cheering for the districts behind us in no time.

"Traitors. Ah, c'mon, lighten up." Rylan pokes me a few times. I slap his hands to get him to stop. "Smile for the camera!" He begins to tickle and poke me. He is ruining my persona of emotionless corpse. I grab both of his hands and hold onto them for the rest of the ceremony. He never did pull back or resist.

After the long speech from the President, and another trip around the city, we finally end up at the Training Center. There we are greeted by our mentors and our prep team. I'm just about to climb out of the chariot, when something stops me. I look down to see what the force of resistance was. It's Rylan's hands. I'm still holding them. I shove his hands away from me and jump out of the chariot before he has a chance to say anything to me.

Inside the Training Center, Finnick and Mags are discussing our training schedules. Mags turns to us to ask us about our skills.

Rylan doesn't even hesitate. "I call spears!"

Mags directs her attention to me. "And you?"

I look around the room, scanning my brain for something I'm good at. But I come up short, so I shrug.

"Oh come on," Finnick adds, "You've got to be good at something."

I shake my head.

"Fine. I guess you can play around in the training room. But, I want you to let me know when you find your special skill." I nod. "Okay, I suppose you guys want to go directly to your rooms?"

Rylan smiles. "Actually, I'm hungry. Where's the kitchen?"

Finnick smiles back. "I thought you'd never ask."

The boys leave us in search of food. I just want to go to bed, so I yawn to get Mags's attention. Mags gets the message and leads me to my room. It's a lot bigger than the room on the train. I feel like I could get lost in here. But I find exactly what I'm looking for, and hop right into the queen sized bed. Mags smiles at me. "Good night, Honey."


	6. Chapter 6

The next couple of days go by pretty quick. They were also pretty uneventful. The days at the Training Center were put to good use. Not only did Rylan and I learn new techniques, but we also had a chance to scope out the competition. Malachie and Mimsy are both pretty handy with bow and arrows. Ty is good with swords. I saw a little boy from District 12 decapitate a dummy with a smile on his face. The kid can't be more than 13 years old.

There were tributes who intimidated me, and there were tributes who were so pathetic, I felt like giving them a reassuring hug. But I was told I was not to make any emotional contact with anyone, but that didn't stop Rylan from doing so. Rylan made got cozy with a few of the tributes. The tribute girl from District 12, the girl from District 7, and the boy from 5. The girl from 12 is a 16 year old named Gioanna. The girl from District 7, the shy, scared girl, her name is Johanna. Then the boy from 5 is Rory. I believe he has an alliance forming.

The day has come to prove ourselves to the judges. But this can't be done on an empty stomach. I grab a plate and fill it over the brim with food. I haven't eaten much lately considering my frayed nerves. I try not to think about the games, but they do have a nasty habit of sneaking into my dreams. I die in each and every dream.

I take my plate to the table, where Finnick, Mags, and Rylan are having a heated discussion about the day ahead of us. I take a seat next to Finnick and the chatter abruptly ceases. Everyone's eyes are on me, and they are all wearing the same goofy face, like they're trying to hold back a laugh. I'm beginning to feel insecure, but I shrug it off and start to stuff my face.

Finnick breaks the silence. "Good morning, gorgeous."

I wave to him and continue eating.

"You're looking particularly sexy today."

My face is starting to turn red, but I don't want him to see that. So I look down at my meal and start forcing food into my mouth, even though the butterflies in my stomach are telling me not to.

"Oh my, your face is so red. Are you running a fever?" Finnick's voice was full of fake concern, and he reaches his hand out to stroke my face.

Even though my lungs stopped working, my heart was kicking in overdrive.

"Well, it is a little warm in here."

Mags snickers. "Maybe you should take off your shirt off."

Rylan giggles, but I ignore it. I've got more important things to pay attention to. Like how to breath properly.

"Good idea," Finnick strips off his shirt slowly, one button at a time, the whole time staring directly at me. I look up and get caught in his gaze. Our eyes make contact. I forget about the others, I forget about the Training Center, and I forget about the games. Right now, it's just Finnick, me, and that final button. He pops that final button, revealing what I've only dreamed about. His abs, his nicely toned abs….

"Like what you see?" Finnick winks at me and licks his lips seductively and everyone loses it. The burst of laughter at the table snaps me out of my romantic reverie and drags me into being at the bad end of a joke. They're laughing at me, even Finnick.

"Oh come on. We can read you like a book!" Rylan said in between fits of laughter.

I was at a loss for words, so I put on a fake smile and stick up my middle finger, which only makes everyone laugh harder.

Finnick takes a break from laughing to tell me something I already know. "You're a good sport."

I smile and extend my hand, as if to admit defeat, but he knocks it away and grabs my face and kisses me on the lips. Rylan and Mags are hooting away but they're only background noises. Even though the kiss lasts only for a few seconds, it felt like a lifetime for me. Finnick pulls away from me, too early, and flashes me that award winning smile. "Now that I've got your attention, let's talk strategy."


	7. Chapter 7

Because he is best with spears, Rylan is going to impress the Gamemakers with a presentation on spear throwing. I, on the other hand, still have no clue what I'm going to show them. I'm thinking about showing them how good I am with hand to hand combat, but I doubt that'll amaze anyone. So instead, I'll show my strengths with a sword. Turns out, Ty isn't the only one good with swords. Never thought I'd be any good at it, but the Training Center instructor told me I'm the best he's ever seen. I'm sure those were only words of encouragement, but I still found myself flattered by the compliment.

One by one, the other Tributes begin disappearing. Finally, it's our turn to go in; Rylan goes first. My nerves are finally starting to catch up to me. I take a few deep breaths, and enter the room as soon as they call my name.

"So, what is it that you're going to show us today?" a big, burly man asks me.

I let my actions do the talking. I picked up the nearest sword, a Claymore, and throw it across the room, toward the target practice section for the archers, and hit one of the targets dead center; a Bullseye. I was impressed with myself, but I think that was just a lucky shot. Either way, my energy starts to flow. I run to the sword, pull it out of the target, and throw it up into the air with my right hand, catch it with my left. At this point, I'm just showing off. I sprint to the nearest dummy and decapitate it in a matter of seconds. But I wasn't done. I then turn to the rest of the dummies, and begin shredding them up. I'm jumping, dodging, ducking; as if they were actually attacking me. I rise out of a roll, and realize there is still one left, so I swiftly spin around and stab it in the head. It doesn't register, not until I look at the Gamemakers' faces, what exactly I had done.

The burly man clears his throat, "You may go now, Ms. Athenus."

I nod my head, and quickly exit the room with my eyes on the floor.

Rylan, Finnick, Mags, and Tetra are there waiting to hear about results. They don't look happy. Do they know? Tetra asks me how I did. I answer honestly, shrugging my shoulders. I don't know what the Gamemakers think of me. Are they impressed? Frightened? Truthfully, I'd be frightened. I am frightened. I have never seen that side of me before. Never. I have never been so happy to stab; inanimate or not. They probably think that I'm crazy. I couldn't agree more.

I would love to lock myself in my room and question my own sanity, but I have an interview to prepare for.

As we walk down the corridor, I hear the two mentors and the escort arguing under their breaths. Sounds like they're arguing about me. About whether or not I am competent enough to do this interview on my own. This strikes me like lightning. They don't believe in me. They think I'm stupid. I can't believe I was starting to trust them. I thought they were my friends. But no, they're just befriending me because it's their job. There is always some ulterior motive. Curiosity, pity, sympathy. Well, I have had it. No longer am I going to let people walk all over me. I'm going to stand my ground, and let them hear me roar.

I spin around angrily, and scream. I'm not sure why I did, but it got everyone's attention. I find myself trying to scream the words, but only a squeak comes out. A pathetic little squeak. So much for my roar. How can I stand my ground when I can't even say what's on my mind? I feel stinging water spring to my eyes, and before I can stop it, the tears overflow and begin running down my cheek. I sit down in the hallway, defeated. I pull my legs up and cross my arms over top of them, and bury my face in my arms.

"Sweetie pie, what's wrong?" Tetra's voice is full of concern, but that doesn't mean shit to me now.

"Harmony, are you feeling okay?" Finnick's normally seductive voice is replaced by an alarmed voice. I don't think he really cares. I'm just a charity project for him. The kiss wasn't even real, and I'm stupid to think it was.

"Honey?" Mags nudges me, but I shoo her away with my hand.

"Watch out." The voice is so stern and authoritative, I thought I was about to be punished by a Peacekeeper. I flinch, but instead of pain, I feel an arm wrap around my body. The smell is familiar. The familiarity of the scent makes me turn into the person and embrace him. I cry on his shoulders for a while. I begin to feel so relaxed wrapped in this person's arms, I almost fall asleep, but his voice wakes me up. "You feeling better?"

Holy shit, it's Rylan.

I jump out of the embrace quickly, embarrassed that I just snotted all over him.

"Woa, it's okay. Everything is going to be okay."

I point behind them, at the spot where I thought everyone else was.

"They have to discuss strategy."

I roll my eyes. The apocalypse could start and they wouldn't care, as long as they were discussing strategy.

"You want to tell me what's wrong?"

I give him a 'duh, I can't speak look', and he understands, so we go to his room. He takes out a pencil and paper, and tells me to write. So I do. I write about the Training Center, I write about the look on the Gamemakers' faces, and I write about what I overheard.

Lucky for me, Rylan is a quick reader, because he is there to catch me when I begin to cry again. I'm sure the Capitol is getting a good look at the weakest Tribute.

I finally settle down again, and this is when Rylan decides to talk.

"First off, Harmony, you're not crazy. Second, you overheard wrong. We weren't talking about your competency; we were talking about the audience's. We know you're incredibly smart, and we know that you're strong. But we underestimate the audience. We're not sure how they are going to react to an Avox tribute being interviewed. You have to understand, it's never been done before. You are making history just by showing up at the Games. That makes you one of the crowd favorites, and we want to make sure they can understand you."

I nod my head, contemplating the truth of his answer. It sounds right, maybe I did overhear wrong. I took the paper and wrote out another question.

Rylan read the question, "Hmm…. I don't know how they're going to do it, but I'm sure we'll find a way. Until then, we have to practice our "etiquette"." Rylan air quotes the word. "As if we're savages…."

After looking for at least 20 minutes, we finally find Mags. "I'm sorry, Honey, but I don't know where they're at. Did you guys check the top floor?"

"No, we haven't. Thanks." Rylan answers for me.

We head upstairs to the top floor, but it splits into two different halls.

"I'll check this one, and you can check that one."

I nod my head in agreement and go down the right hall. It's not long before I run into Finnick.

"Harmony! I'm glad I found you. I have got some great news!"

I look at him questionably, thinking the only great news I want to hear is that I can go home.

He takes his hand out of his pocket and shows me a necklace, but it's not an ordinary necklace. It looks like a dismantled radio. He puts the necklace over my head, "You might feel a pinch…"

I feel more than a pinch. I feel a sharp pain shoot down my spine and back up into my head.

"OW SHIT!"

Finnick smiles at me. "It works."

"What works…? Oh my… Is that me….. talking?

"Well, sorta yes. The necklace reads your thoughts and projects them into words." Suddenly, Finnick's face took on a sullen expression. "The things the Capitol is capable of…."

I'm talking! I've got my voice back! It even sounds like me! Sure I can't actually form the words, but I can pretend to. Even though I really hate the Capitol, I can't help but to be excited about this new gift. I wonder if they'll let me keep it forever…

"They won't." Finnick interrupts my thoughts.

"What?"

"They won't let you keep the necklace. It's only for the interview."

"What are you doing, reading my mind?" I say jokingly.

He smiles. "Just try not to think of anything that might embarrass you."

That brings me up short.

"Oh, by the way, I'm going to have to take that." He reaches to remove my key.

"NO!"

He freezes.

"That's my token…."

"You can't keep it on." He explains as he removes it. "It could lock up the connection on your voice box." He smiles at his creative thought. I can see him mentally patting his back.

"Damn, you think I'm that egotistical?" He nudges me playfully.

"I'm getting tired of you reading my mind, Odair."

"What are you gonna do about it, Athenus?"

I smile devilishly. "I'm going to tell everybody about your HUGE crush on me."

"Damn, and you thought I was one reading minds."

We're both laughing, when I hear my name again.

"Harmony!"

I turn around to see Tetra, squealing with delight, running toward me at full speed. I brace myself for impact, but she stops before she knocks me down.

"Harmony, great news!"

"I know," I tell her simply, "They have the technology." Finnick and I start laughing again at my lame reference.

She clears her throat. "Anywho, I thought that you would need some assistance with speaking at the interview tomorrow, but it looks like Finnick already has that covered." She shoots him an evil stare, then continues. "Like it or not, Rylan and I have a surprise for you."

"Another surprise? Is it my birthday." I've never been excited for my birthdays, but if this is the way I get treated before I die, I wonder how they would treat me on the day I was born.

Rylan walks around the corner with another man. A tall, built man. He has beautiful green eyes. His hair is cow licked in the front. That's funny, it kinda reminds me of…..

"Monty!"

I scream and shoot across the hall and jump right into his arms.

"You can talk!"

"I'm not a dog, Monty, of course I can talk." I snuggle into his chest and inhale the scent of his leather jacket. It's the same one he gave me that day at lunch. It seems like forever ago. "Not that I don't enjoy your company, but why are you here?"

Tetra answers for him in a nervous voice, like a doctor delivering bad news to a patient. "I brought him here to translate for you. Rylan told me how well you two knew each other, so I arranged for him to come here. But since he is no longer needed, he's going to be forced to go home…."

"No, he's not. We can just hide him here. Please," I beg "just until the interviews are done."

"I'm sorry, but if anyone finds out about him being here under false circumstances, he can get in huge trouble."

So this is what it comes down to. I have to choose between my voice, or my best friend.


	8. Chapter 8

I was never any good at making choices. I'm a very indecisive person, and that's only when I'm choosing between wearing shoes or going barefooted. Now, I'm forced to make a decision between my voice and my best friend. Naturally, one would choose their friend, but nobody understands the difficulty I'm facing with this decision. I haven't heard my voice in 10 years. I have so much to say. But Monty is my best friend…

"Well, Aidyyn is too…" Monty piped in, hearing my thoughts once again.

"Is Aidyyn here?"

"No. She had to stay home with the kids."

"Kids…?"

"Her brothers… You thought I meant..?" He laughs. "No. God, no. Aidyyn and I have only been together for a week. It's a little soon for babies."

"Together..? Like.. _together_?"

"Umm.. yeah."

"For a week?"

"Well.. sorta. Well. Yeah.. I guess." He begins to stammer.

"So, pretty much, ever since I left your sorry asses for the games? I'm glad my death sentence brought you guys closer 'together'."

Tetra jumps in. "Sorry to interrupt, but we need your decision."

I look up to Tetra with pleading eyes, I just need a little more time.

"Do you need some time to think about it?" Tetra suggests with a smile.

Before I could answer, Finnick sighs and rolls his eyes.

Tetra shoots him an evil glance. "I'm sorry, is there a problem?"

"Yes, there is." Finnick says in a hushed voice. "We have less than two days until the Games, and I feel like we haven't taught them anything. I feel like we've spent too much time bonding with them, instead of giving them the information they need to survive."

"Relationships are an important key in mentoring and I think-"

"Nobody cares what you think! You're an escort, not a mentor! So what do you know?"

Everybody stares back in astonishment. Just a minute ago, I was quoting movies and laughing with him.

"Finnick…?" I hesitantly ask.

Finnick just stares blankly at the wall. "Two more days until you guys are in the arena…" He runs his fingers through his hair, and snaps back around. "If you guys die-"

"No, shut up." Rylan speaks up. "If we die, it'll be our fault and our fault alone."

"You don't understand! You just can't even fathom the amount of pain I feel every night. As if having the blood of my fellow tributes on my hands wasn't enough, I now have the blood of my students weighing me down. Every night, every single fucking night! I have dreams about it. Nightmares. Canons firing, the pictures of everyone I lost. I can't tolerate everyone's lives depending on me. This whole time I've been making friends, only to lose them. But I'm tired of it. You two," he points angrily at Rylan and I, and he takes a minute to catch his breath, "I'll fight my hardest to keep you guys alive, but I'm going to need some help. Give me something to work with here, and I'll give you something to work with there. The interviews are tomorrow and we need sponsors. I'm sorry, Harmony, we don't have time for you to take another emotional break. Trust me, we all want one, but it's obvious, we're not all gonna get what we want…"

Everyone is speechless. Even I am, and I'm the one who's literally speaking her mind. There is a moment of silence.

The silence is interrupted by my final decision.

"I'll keep my voice."

Everyone's shocked gazes are now directed at me.

Monty steps forward. "We were such good friends, Harmony-"

"We _were_ friends. But we're living in the Capitol now, I'm about to go into an arena and fight for my life just to entertain a city of goofy looking imbeciles. I need all of the sponsors I can get, and I'm sure as hell not going to get any with you standing by side slowly translating my body language. There's a time limit on my life now, and I don't want to waste it with someone like you." I turn around and grab Finnick's and Rylan's arms. "C'mon guys, I think it's about time we start saving each other's lives."


	9. Chapter 9

My hands are sweating, and my legs won't stop shaking. One more tribute and it'll be my turn. I steal a quick glance at Rylan, and see that he looks just as freaked as I do. The audience's applause drags me out of my reverie. The boy tribute from District 3 just finished his interview. My stomach is doing gymnastics; it's my turn.

Today, I'm wearing a long, sea green dress. The dress hugs my body snuggly, addressing all of my curves. It wraps very tightly around my legs, creating a mermaid illusion. Lucky for me, there are slits up each side of the dress, making it easier to walk. It also helped that I wasn't wearing 6 inch heels, or any heels for that matter; thanks to Kale. My hair is pulled back into a fancy updo ponytail, clipped in with barrettes shaped like seashells.

I'm thinking about my appearance as I make my way to the stage. I go to take my seat, but I am interrupted by Caesar. My butt is hovering above the chair and I'm caught in an awkward position as Caesar motions to me. "Harmony Athenus! C'mere and give me a hug!"

I rise to embrace Caesar. This year, his color of choice is bright pink. With all of that make-up on his face, I'm expecting it to smear me.

"Alright," he breaks the embrace and faces the audience, addressing them in a serious tone, "this tribute right here, she's very special. She's unlike any tribute we've ever seen before. Due to an accident, she lost her voice. But you wouldn't know that by looking at her. Look at how stunning she looks," he points to me, and I flash a genuine smile. "and that smile is just gorgeous. It's a miracle that a girl can endure so much pain and suffering, but still manage to smile like that. I know if I ever lost my voice, even for a day, I would go mad. I like the sound of my own voice. THERE, I ADMITTED IT." The crowd chuckles. "But honestly guys, let's give Ms. Athenus a round of applause." To my surprise, people actually clapped. They stood up and cheered for me. I am already winning the crowd over, and I didn't even have to say anything. I decided that I'd save the voice box for later.

"Take a seat, Ms. Athenus. I have a few questions for you, mostly just yes or no questions. Question number one, are you good at charades?"

A put my hand out flat and shake it, as if it to say "Sort of, but not really."

Caesar laughed. "No, but seriously. You are making history as one of the first Avoxes to be entered into the Games. Avoxes all over look to you for inspiration. Do you have anything to say to them?"

I look at the cameras and smile and wave.

Caesar chuckles. "You are such a sweet little girl. But do you have any other hidden talents besides melting people's hearts?"

I put my index finger up to my lips, indicating that it was a secret.

"I'll take that as a yes! But let's see what the judges had to say about you. Let's reveal her Training score." **(A/N: The system may vary slightly from the Hunger Games we all know and love. In this version, the tributes don't get to see their score until they're being interviewed.)**

Everybody is now looking up at a giant screen, anticipating my face matched with a score. First, my face flashes. Then, the number appears.

The crowd gasps. "Wow," Caesar marvels, "a whopping eight. Congratualtions."

An eight? That's actually not bad. I was expecting a one, or a 4 at the most.

"What did you do that impressed the judges so much? Did you sing?"

I put my finger back to my mouth to shush him, and hit his shoulder playfully.

"More secrets, huh?"

I shrug.

"Well." He turns to address the audience. "I don't know about you guys, but I want to know one of these secrets."

People began screaming and cheering. Nosey creatures.

"So how about it, Ms. Athenus? Just one secret?"

My mom's voice rings in my head.

_Just speak your mind._

So that is exactly what I do.

"My name is Harmony Athenus. When I was 8 years old, the Capitol took more than just my voice from me; they took my father, my virginity, my childhood, and for a while my sanity. I tried to kill myself multiple times, but they always managed to stop me. Then when I finally realize that I wanted to live, they decided that I should die. But I'm not going to fall victim to them again. Because the way I see it, if I survive, I get to go back to my friends. If I die, then at least I will be free of this awful place. Either way, I will always be the winner."

I was just about to walk off stage before I thought of something else.

I laughed to myself. "But don't worry guys. My bark is worse than my bite."

I ripped off the voice box, threw it on the ground, and then crushed it with my bare feet. I turned and walked off the stage with bleeding feet, leaving Caesar and the crowd silent. For once in my life, I'm not the one who was speechless.

My mentors were too happy about my little speech. Especially Finnick.

"What the Hell were you thinking?" He yelled. "Are you insane? If you even had a chance of survival in the arena, it's gone now!" There were tears in his eyes. "You could've survived. You could've beaten the odds. You were becoming a voice for the tributes. But you just sold yourself to the Capitol. You did exactly what they wanted you to do. Now they have a reason to kill you before you even step foot in the arena!"

I made my idol cry. I began to sob uncontrollably. I didn't mean for him, or anybody for that matter, to be hurt by words.

"Trust me, I know how you feel. The Capitol has screwed me over plenty of times." He continues. "But you don't see me bitching about it on public TV." He knotted his fingers in his hair. "What were you thinking?" He whimpered.

I desperately wanted to apologize and hold him and tell him everything was okay, but that was yet another feat of being mute. You can never tell your loved ones how you feel. Although I'm not able to tell him, I could always show him. I reach out to try to embrace him, but he shoves me away.

"Stop." He commands me. "Just." He pauses to take a breath. "Just go away. Please."

Mags approached me with her arms out. "Honey.."

I turned and ran away. I'm not sure where I am going, but I don't care. Every time I talk, someone ends up dying for it. I talk once and my father dies because of it. I talk again and I hurt Finnick and Mags, all while signing my own death certificate. Maybe the Capitol was doing the world a favor cutting out my tongue. Maybe they're the heroes, and I'm the villain. For the first time in my life, I'm glad I am an Avox.


End file.
